Nursing BSN

Admission Requirements 

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing prepares students for the Professional Registered Nurse Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

To be considered for entry into the BSN program, individuals must first be accepted to UMSL as an undergraduate student. Upon that acceptance, students should work with their College of Nursing Academic Advisor to ensure successful completion of prerequisite courses.

Admission to UMSL does not guarantee admission to the clinical phase in any of the Pre-Licensure BSN tracks. All applicants are placed in Pre-Nursing at time of admission. Clinical spaces are competitive, and the College of Nursing administratively moves students from Pre-Nursing to Nursing (clinical segment) based on cumulative GPA, successful completion of program prerequisite coursework, and available space.

Pre-Nursing Admission Criteria

First-time freshmen and transfer applicants who meet the following minimum criteria will be placed in the Pre-Nursing major.

• Admission to the University by completing the UMSL Undergraduate Application
• For first-time freshman applicants, a minimum high school GPA of 2.75
• For transfer applicants, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (including all transferable courses)

Nursing Clinical Admission Criteria: Traditional BSN

• Admission to the University by completing the UMSL Undergraduate Application
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (including all transferable courses)
• Satisfactory completion of all general education course requirements
• Grade of B- or higher within 5 years of enrollment in the clinical major for the following courses: Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II, Microbiology
• Grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses except in the case of the above-listed science courses

General Education Course Requirements

Nursing majors must complete all general education requirements of the university as outlined in this Bulletin.

As part of meeting the university's general education requirements, the prerequisite courses listed under 1) Natural science course work, 2) Behavioral and social science course work, 3) Information literacy, and 4) Humanities, must be completed prior to beginning the clinical track. See a curriculum planning guide for specific courses and proper sequencing.

Nursing Pre-Major Courses 

Nursing Major Courses

All undergraduate nursing students must have access to transportation to their clinical practice experiences. Students must provide their own transportation to and from clinical agencies, which may be scheduled throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, including Jefferson County and Illinois. Students who must use public transportation must inform their Program Director. 

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (Pass/Fail) Grading
Undergraduate nursing majors may not take required prerequisite general education or nursing courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Credit by Transfer Examination

Credit may be granted for selected general studies. Please contact an advisor for information.   

Latin Honor Requirements

In accordance with the University's Latin Honors policy, candidates graduating from the College of Nursing in the 2023-2024 Academic Year must meet the following GPA qualifications:

Learning Outcomes

• Integrate into practice theories and evidence-based concepts from nursing, the arts, sciences, and humanities to provide comprehensive nursing care in a variety of settings.
• Integrate principles of quality care, patient safety, health education, and management of care when organizing, coordinating, and engaging in professional nursing practice across the healthcare continuum
• Use evidence-based practice to promote health and wellness, manage illness, and prevent injury among individuals, families, communities, and populations
• Utilize health care technology and information management systems to promote quality care and patient safety
• Apply knowledge of health care policies in a regulatory environment and their influence on health care access and quality
• Utilize communication to enhance relationships with patients, families, and communities and collaboration among members of the healthcare team
• Provide culturally competent, compassionate, holistic care to promote optimal health for diverse individuals, families, communities, and populations throughout the lifespan in an effort to improve health equity
• Accept responsibility and accountability for decisions and actions based on professional intrapersonal values, ethical and legal obligations, standards of practice, social justice, and economics
• Demonstrate motivation and self-direction in activities that contribute to lifelong personal, professional, and intellectual development
• Synthesize clinical reasoning and problem solving in professional practice

Sample Four Year Plan

Students who were admitted prior to Fall 2018 should follow the plan from the year they were admitted. Four Year plans for each catalog year prior to Fall 2018 can be found in the Archives Section.

PLEASE NOTE: This plan is an example of what an academic plan could look like for a typical student. Placement exam scores in math as well as the completion of coursework may change the plan. It should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor. All requirements are subject to change.